APHBy Conrad O Broin
Source: Athenry Journal Volume No 3 1995
Aghafadda – Achad Fada – Long Meadow.
Ballinloughane – Baile an Lochin Townland of the lake or pond.
Ballybackagh – Baile Bachach Townland of lame (soldiers?) or place of hinderance (to travellers). Stubborn, lame land
Ballyboggan – Baile an Bhogain – Soft place.
Ballydavid Middle – Baile Dhaithi Lar.
Ballydavid North – Baile Dhaithi Thuaigh.
Ballydavid South – Baile Dhaithi Theas.
Bally Gurrane North – Baile Ghurrain Thuaigh – Town of the small field
Bally Gurrane South – Baile Ghurrain Theas.
Bally Gurrane West – Baile Ghurrain Thiar
Barretts’ Park – Pairc a’ Bhaireid. From the landowner.
Bawnmore – Ban Mor – Big meadow (a Bawn is an open area of grassland usually beside the keep of a castle).
Bingarra – Ben Gharrai – Gardens on the crest of a hill (rise, height).
Binn – Binn – Rise / Height.
Blean – Blein – Low strip of land
Bottom – Bun
Boyhill – Cnoc Bui – Yellow hill.
Caherbriskaun – Cathair Brioscan – fort or settlement of the silver weed, tansey, skirret or stunted hay.
Caherfinsker – Cahair Fin Eiscir – Fair fort of the Esker/Eiscir Riada.
Cahertubber – Cathair Tobair – Fort of the well.
Cappaghmoyle – Ceapach Maol – The bare cutaway wood.
Caraunduff – Caran Dubh – Black , rocky place.
Carnaun – Carnan – A heap of stones or an area of high stony ground.
Carrowntober East – Corán Tobair Thoir – Rounded hill or bend of the well.
Carrowntober West – Coran Tobair Thiar
Cashla – Cois Sleibhte– probably Caiseal – Stone Fort / beside the mountain i.e rough land
Castle Ellen – Caislean Eilise – As for St. Ellens.
Castle Lambert – Caislean Lambert – Called after landowner – old name
Aughrim – each (horse) druim (ridge), horse hill.
Castleturvin – Caislean an Tuir Bhan – Castle of the white tower.
Clamper Park – Paire a’ Chlampair – The disputed field.
Cloonbrusk – Cluain Bhruasc – Meadow of the Sherds / Broken pottery.
Cloonkeenbeg – Cluain Chaoin Beag – The small meadow of Caoin.
Cloonkeen North – Cluain Chaoin Thuaigh.
Cloonkeen South – Cluain Chaoin Theas.
Clorane – Cloran – Meadow of the spring well.
Coldwood – Fuar Choill – Wood of the fresh cold spring.
Cormacuagh East – Corrmacuach Thoir – Corr the son of Cuach/Meadow field of the shoulder of land on the cuckoo plain.
Cormacuagh West – Corrmacuach Thiar,
Cuddoo East – Cu Dubh Thoir – (cuid) .– Area of black, good soil. (Cuid Adhuaidh – Portion to the north)
Cuddoo West – Cu Dubh Thiar.
Cullairbawn – Coilear Ban – Quarry of the bawn /Collar of bawn.
Currantarmuid – Corran Diarmuid – Rounded hill / Bend of Dermot. Corran Tearmainn – of the Sanctuary.
Cussane – Cosan – Path – path through the sloe bushes.
Derroogh – Doire – Oak Wood.
Derrydonnell Beg – Doire Domhnaill Beag – O’Donnell’s Oak Wood. O’Donnell is said to have camped here before attacking Athenry.
Derrydonnell More – Doire Domhnaill Mór
Derrydonnell North – Doire Domhnaill Thuaidh.
Fahy’s Village – Baile Ui Fhathaigh – Called after landowners.
Farnablake West – Fearann de Blácha Thiar – The land of the Blakes.
Farnablake East – Fearann de Blácha Thoir
Furzy Park – Anglo Irish name.
Glenagloghaun – Gleann an Chlochain– Valley of the mound of stones.
Gloves Middle – Gluibhe Lar – Luibhe – Herbs
Gloves West. Gluibhe Thiar
Gort na hAbhann – Field of the river.
Gorteenacre – Goirtin Acra – Acre garden/field of the horse/each horse.
Gortroe – Gort Rua – Red field.
Graigabbey – Graig na Mainistreach – Monastic village.
Greethill . Cnocan Aoibhir – Hill of Granite (possibly from erratic rock)
Kilcornan – Cill Cornan – The Church of Cornan.
Kingsland North – Talamh an Ri Thuaidh.
Kingsland South – Talamh an Ri Theas.
Knockaunglass – Cnocan Glas – Green häll.
Knockbaun – Cnoc Bán – Uncultivated hillside.
Knockbrack – Cnoc Breac – Dappled hill / Scabby land.
Knocknacreeva – Cnoc na Craobhe – The hill of the large, branchy tree. Perhaps associated with religious rites in ancient times.
Lachtanora – Leacht an Ora – Heavy soil / flagstone on the edge (of the bog).
Lecarrow. —- carrow (rounded hill).
Lenamore – Leana mor – The big meadow
Lisdoran . Lios Dobhran – Fort of the otters.
Lisheenkyle East – Lisin na Coille thoir – Lios or rath, afterwards used as children’s burial ground. Burial ground of the wood.
Lisheenkyle West – Lisin na Coille thiar.
Loobroe – Lub Rua– Turn or bend of the red (field). Enchanted wood of Lugha Lamh Fhada.
Loughaunenaghaun – Lochdin na h’Eineachain – The pond of the watery place / Heneghan’s Pond.
Millpark – Pairc an Mhuilinn.
Moanbaun – Moin Ban – Meadow of white or uncultivated grass or perhaps referring to moor or boggy place.
Moor or Moorpark – Pairc Mor – From mur – Fort or big wall as in a stronghold.
Mountgarret – The mountain of Garrett (landowner).
Mountpelier – Placename taken from the French.
Mountain North – Sliabh o Thuaidh Possible cartographer’s term also related to Mountain South and Mountain West.
Mountain South – Sliabh o Dheas.
Mountain West – Sliabh an Iarthair.
Moyveela – Maigh Maoil / Maighbhile -The plain of the midges. Site of the battle of Moyvilla c. 250 A.D.
Mulpit – No explanation found.
Newcastle – An Caislean Nua.
Newford – English name.
Palmerstown – Baile Phamair – Palmers (people who went on pilgrimage, often to the Holy Land and brought back palms).
Park – Pairc – Enclosed field.
Peakroe – Peic Rua – The red hilltop.
Pollagh – Pollach – Land full of pits or holes. Watering hole / place.
Pollacappul – Poll a’Chapall – The watering hole of the horses.
Pollagool – Poll a’ Ghuail – From a coal mine opened by the Lamberts in the 19th century.
Pollnagroagh – Poll na Grua – Water hole of the round hills/reeks.
Prospect – From Prospect House.
Rahard – Rath Ard – Raised Rath.
Raheen – Raithin – Small Rath (fort).
Rathmorrissey . Rath Mhuirgheasa Morrissey’s fort.
Saint Ellens – English name.
Shantallow – Sean Talamh – Old Ground.
Shudane – Siudan – Soden Race – Old Irish who lived there before the Celts.
Skeaghaderreen – Sceach a’ Doirin – The whitethorn of the small oak wood.
Templemoyle – Teampall Maol – Roofless Church.
Tiaquin – Tigh Da Conna – House of St. Dachan (House of Coinn). House of the two chimneys. The old Barony of Tiaquin streched from Athenry to Dunmore.
Tobernaveen – Tobar na bhFiann – The well of the wild place or wild animals, probably deer/Well of the Fianna.
Toorkeel – Tur Caol – slender tower
Tubberconnolly – Tobar Úi Chonghaile.
Tuberroe – Tobar Rua – The red well.
Turloughalanger – Turloch a – – – -? – Dry lake / Place of rapid flood.
Tysaxon – Tigh an tSacsain – House of the Saxon (Abbot). Abbey founded in the 7th century by Balan.
ATHENRY TOWNLAND
Abbey Row – Sraid na Mainistreach.
Ard Aoibhinn – Ard Aoibhinn – Pleasant height.
Caheroyan – Cathair Ui Riain – Fort of the Ryans / Quarter of the Hynes (Ui Eidhin) Cathair Oighean – Fort in the shape of an oven.
Church St. – Sraid an tSéipeil.
Clarke St. – Sraid Ui Chléirigh.
Court Lane – Boithrin na Cuirte.
Davis St. – Sraid Mhic Daibhis.
Mac Donald’s Lane – Boirthin Mhic Domhaill
North Gate St. – Sraid an Gheata Thuaidh.
Old Church St. – Sraid an tSean Teanpaill
Park – Pairc.
Swangate – Geata Mhic an Ealla Originally Lorro gate. (Sergeant Swan had a pub nearby.)
Neighbouring Townlands.
Belville – From the french. Home of the Persse family.
Cahercrin – Cathair Cruinn . The town of Cruinn/Narrow fort.
Cabertymore – Cahair an Ti Mhoir . Stone/strong fort or big house.
Carnakelly – Cairn UI Cheallaigh – (Burial) Mound of the O’Kellys.
Colmanstown – Baile Colman
Deerpark – Pairc na bhFiain . Land fenced for deer.
Grange – Grainseach – Place for storing grain.
Kilskeagh – Cill Sceiche – Church of the white thorn bushes / Church of the place shaped like a shield.
Lisduff – Lios Dubh – Black fort.
Monatigue . Muine Thaidhg – Small wood / copse of Tadhg.
Mountbrown – English Name.
Rockfield – Pairc na Cloiche – The field of the stones
Sheaun Park – Cnoc a’ tSiodhan – The field of the fairy mound/hill
Slieveroe – Stiabh Rua – Hill with red soil.
Tallowroe – Talamh Rua – Red ground.
I wish to thank Tom Cloonan, Tom Coffey and Mairead Tarpey for compiling the list of townlands i mBearla agus i nGhaeilge. To Martin T. Kelly and Finbarr O’Regan also for their help in compiling the list of townland names and their possible meanings. Finally, special thanks to Sinead Browne for all her help.
